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MSAD11 panel advances broader school-based mental health job title and inclusion specialist to board
Summary
The MSAD11 Policy Committee advanced a draft umbrella job title for school-based mental health providers and a formal inclusion specialist role to a first reading at the full board, with staff saying the changes increase hiring flexibility and reduce paperwork burdens on special educators.
MSAD11’s policy committee on April 2 advanced a package of job descriptions to the full school board that would create an umbrella “school-based mental health support provider” classification and formalize the district’s inclusion specialist role.
Superintendent Kate Eagle introduced the mental‑health job description as a way to let schools hire the best‑fitting clinician — whether a licensed social worker, guidance counselor or other eligible provider — without being blocked by restrictive title language. “What if we created sort of an umbrella right to house all of those under…so it's really a mental health support provider,” said Dr. Sims, who helped draft the description with the MACT team and the Department of Education. Dr. Sims said the change would allow principals to match candidates’ credentials to school programming needs while still ensuring required supervision and licensing for less‑experienced hires.
Committee members asked whether the umbrella title would affect salary. Staff responded that collective bargaining agreements determine pay, and that education and years of experience — not the umbrella title itself — set placement on the salary schedule. “The license sure does not; our guidance counselors and social workers are part of the collective bargaining agreement,” a staff member said when describing salary rules.
Sarah, the district’s special education director, described the inclusion specialist role already piloted in the district. She said inclusion specialists take on written notices, IEP documentation and meeting facilitation to free special educators to teach. “Almost everyone opted into the experience,” she said, adding that the shift reduced paperwork burdens and improved compliance and audit outcomes. She noted that inclusion specialists who hold administrator certification receive an additional stipend when acting as the LEA representative.
A committee motion to advance the job descriptions for a first‑reading at the full board was moved and seconded; the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The items will appear on the board agenda for a first reading and further public review.
Next steps: the full MSAD11 board will consider the draft job descriptions at first reading; if approved for further action, they would return for later formal adoption and any necessary bargaining or implementation planning.
